How impressive have the Kings rookie been in NBA Summer League?

How impressive have the Kings rookie been in NBA Summer League?

Yep. Final hour of the week as uh we continue to roll along. Carmichael Davis back next week. But you see him live from Las Vegas. Guy’s been working so hard. He’s he’s exceeded the normal number of days anyone needs to be in Las Vegas. Brendan Nunes, our Sack Sports Kings insider. Brendan, how you holding up in Las Vegas after day probably feels like day 45. Yeah. I don’t even know what day we’re on, Jason. It would have been Tuesday. So, I guess exactly over I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know. A week and a half. Who knows how long it’s been. Like you said, it’s definitely been long enough. But it’s been productive out here. And honestly, the Kings gave me a reason to even consider staying longer. I won’t be doing that because I have had my my fair share. I’m getting out of here today. Um, but productive trip, I would say, for us and and for the Kings. Yeah, we just uh had a chance last hour to air your interview. You sat down and that was yesterday with Scott Perry and really good job by you, by Chris, by just everybody producing it. But um Well, thank you. No, the other Chris. Oh, come on. Yeah. Um all of the above. All the above. That’s right. Um but you you talked to him. I’m sure there was some on air before and on air. Off air, excuse me, before and after. But just I I’d be curious about your takeaway from your conversation with Scott Perry. Yeah. Yeah, I mean I think the big thing for me was focusing around that identity, those six things that Scott Perry is constantly mentioning. Um, you know, I was gonna my head I think I also had here so we may as well not go with the risk. Um, but that is being team oriented. That’s disciplined, professional, accountable, um, competitive, tough. He’s looking for all of these things. You hear him say in every single interview that Scott Perry does. So, I really kind of wanted to dive into how he got to those six cores. Um, and obviously there’s the basketball side of all of this as well. I think one of the things that stood out to me was I kind of asked him about how he feels about positionless basketball. Um, and you’ll notice he he even chuckles a little bit when you first when I first asked him and he’s like, “Yeah, I guess that’s true.” like almost made me think that he um has more of an idea of positions um than what I think a lot of the modern NBA currently does, but acknowledged the need for size. Um you know, I think there’s certain things that you got to kind of read between the lines a little bit like sounded a little bit non-committal to Devon in my mind. um wasn’t the most glowing when it came to talking about him, but um obviously loves the rookies and not exactly surprising considering he picked some of them and inherited others. Yeah. And that that’s that was one of my takeaways from the conversation because I think when you’re new, I mean, you obviously want to have your fingerprints on your team and and his opportunity to have his fingerprints were on the draft. I think we we’ll get into those guys in the free agency a little bit with Shruder and Eubanks and different people that have come over via trade or or whatnot. But then it it was when you kind of asked him about like those qualities that he’s looking for, but he jumped right in and said like Dear has it. And that to me kind of stood out because I think we’re seeing the characteristics that he’s looking for play out Brennan right now in the current team. And that’s great and I want them to get this championship if that’s what they desire. But what’s really going to matter is if the big club can start to materialize some of these characteristics. So, I I thought that was interesting that he spotlighted Dear and and now I want to see if some of this stuff can carry over to the guy to the veterans of this team. Yeah, absolutely. You know, he could just be talking up Dear a little bit because all accounts he does check all of those boxes. I don’t know about you, Jason, but I haven’t heard any bad things about Demar D Rozan as a person, as a teammate, as a player. Um, sure there might be some onc court things and questionable ways that he fits because the other part of this is um, you know, coach Depes Mystery out here and and Scott has said the same in that interview that the defensive identity and that orientation that they have here in summer league picking up fullcourt defense turning into offense. That’s what they want to do at the Sacramento level. So, it’s kind of funny. While Demar checks all the boxes for what they want as a person, um, as a leader, it doesn’t really fit stylistically. But I think that he made it very clear he has in all of his interviews and I would say even more so yesterday when I talked to him that the identity is priority number one going into next year. Um, and obviously you like to win games in the process, but I think the reality is this team’s not making it to the Western Conference Finals next year bearing some miracle. So Demar does help you build a culture. He helps these young players that you’re bringing in. He’s good for a neat Clifford to learn from as Scott Perry pointed to. So um you know I I don’t think it necessarily means that Demar’s completely off the table. But I always thought when Scott was going down this list I’m like hey Demar checks every box and and he said as much yesterday. Yeah. And I think the spot my personal thought I’d love your opinion on this as we’re talking to Brennan Nunes our Sacktown Sports Kings insider who’s live in Las Vegas. um that popular, you know, I think popular belief, Brennan, is that the King like the roster’s kind of broken and and doesn’t have enough to it. And that might be true to an extent, but I actually think there are more assets here than people are giving them credit for, but clearly it hasn’t gelled to a consistently winning team that Monty wanted or that Scott Perry would want. So, with that being said, Logic told all of us like, look, with this crowded back court, with all some of these veterans, with Scott wanting to probably retool the team, there’s gonna be a ton of movement. And I think because of the off season and the second apron and all the stuff that everybody’s fearing, I’m resigning myself that this is going to be closer to this team to start the season and the true movement that he can maybe get to might be during the season. You’ve been out there, you’ve heard from others. What’s your kind of read on where and how active? I mean, I’m sure the Kings are wanting to be active, but how plausible that actually will be for them? Yeah, I think it’s hard to figure out the value with some of these top guys. Obviously, I think you could say this is the case with anybody, but it’s very team dependent and how they may value guys, but I think that’s even more so the case with who Sacramento has on the top of this roster. If we’re talking about Demar, I think it takes a team, you know, a deadline move does make sense to me where a team is like, “Hey, we just really need one more score.” like maybe Denver at the deadline is looking like man we just need one more thing you know just throwing a name out there. Um I know they were interested in Zack Lavine previously too in the whole when they ended up trading Michael Porter. Um I think that Zack Lavine was somebody that they considered maybe even before he came to Sacramento. Um so you know things could reemerge when it comes to that stuff. But I think right now a lot of signs point towards them having a lot of flexibility in 2027. That’s when I I believe Zach’s uh contract comes off the books. Demar has a partial guarantee for that season. Um so I think that points to where a lot of their flexibility is. And in the meantime, I think you’re going to be Scott Cott Perry. Um and I’m going to steal his wording here, but be patient but prudent. And I would caution people that uh this is also what Monty McNair sounded like. And maybe caution is the wrong word because I think you have to be patient. Um, it’s just a very tough scenario to play out in the modern NBA because the reality is you’re probably not going to be great in the meantime until you figure out how to rework the top of this roster. Um, but I think that Scott’s going to stay active in trying to do so. It just doesn’t seem like there’s the most value for those guys around the league right now. So, you wait out and see. Maybe getting a point guard like Dennis Shruder helps rekindle value some of these guys. Um, but I think they’re going to keep trying and worst case a lot of these come off the books in 2027. Yeah. Let’s I want to ask you about Dennis Shruder. I mean, obviously this guy’s been in the league. He’s bounced around a lot. Had like a weird year last year where he was great with Brooklyn, but that was a bad team. Uh, for whatever reason goes to the Warriors, a team like it seems like makes everybody better, but that didn’t work. And then finishes in Detroit and a successful part of their bench. Um, it was a guy, this wasn’t a mystery, Brennan. He had been linked to the Kings for a while. They got their guy. I know there were other choices possibly out there, but what do you think about the decision to go with Shruder as as likely the point guard of the of the at least near future for this team? I don’t think there were very many great options this off seasonason to be honest when it comes to who was out there in free agency. Maybe you could have gone with some trades like if you wanted to go in the Drew Holiday direction. I I personally think that just causes more problems like we’re just talking about the top of this roster already being a little bit heavy and unbalanced. I don’t think they were ready for something like that. I think committing assets to a Malcolm Brogden probably isn’t the smartest direction for this team. Um, I think Dennis Shruder is better than a Trey Jones or Tyus Jones personally. Um, and Scott Perry, as I’m sure you guys heard when you aired the interview, just talked about how important having a leader is at that point guard position. And I think Dennis does a great job of setting the tone on both ends of the floor. He plays with a lot of pace. I’d expect that’s something they’re going to get back to that fullcourt pressure. Um, you know, Scott highlighted yesterday, he’s not just the leader, the point guard being, and obviously that’s Dennis’s role here. Not just the leader offensively, but defensively. He’s the one setting the tone with ball pressure on oppo opposing point guards. Um, so I I think that again, it just goes back to what Scott Perry’s going to point at what it feels like every single time coming into this season is is that identity and he thinks Scott he thinks that Dennis Shruder plays into that. It’s going to be tough. I think they’re going to play fast. I think they’re going to pick up full court. And um again, he he definitely thinks Dennis plays into that. And while I don’t think Dennis is a phenomenal player necessarily, I think he’s a good short-term stop gap. And you’re not committing that much with the third year being a partial guarantee. So I want to bounce back to kind of that thought, that premise that he addressed with uh Dennis Shruder and back to what you had mentioned earlier, Brennan, about maybe his lukewarm feeling of Devin Carter. Um because when I look at what he was saying about Shruder, about the leadership, about me being another coach on the floor, and what you just said, the initiator of the defense, I feel like that last one, Devin Carter can check that box. But the other two I, you know, watching him in Vegas, I I just don’t think that’s his position. He’s admitted it, hasn’t played a lot of point. I don’t think that’s a crime on him. I just think if he’s on this roster, he needs to be that combo guard offball that will handle it some, but not really the point guard. What’s your thoughts on how Carter’s looked and what his future might be with this team? Yeah, on the point guard thing specifically, I think it’s really tough for him. I don’t think that he really is a point guard. Uh like you said, he would tell you as much that he never played point guard throughout his career. And so that’s tough for a guy that I think he’s listed at 63. Honestly, Jason, you’ve been around him. I think that might even be a little kind to be honest. There’s some guys that are a little bit taller. Um some guys a little shorter. I would say like Nick is somebody that feels a little bit taller. Devin feels a little bit shorter. Um, which makes it tough if you’re talking about this defensive versatility and you want him to be able to play the two. Um, I think it could be there. There’s a good wingspan. There’s a 42 inch vertical that I keep I can’t help but keep mentioning. Same vertical as Monk. Um, he can get up get up quick. That’s where you see him make an impact on the glass. I think you even see a little bit of rim protection at times from Devin. So Scott said as much uh essentially that he was drafted for his defense, which you know I I can’t help but read into what that may mean about his offense, but the defense is definitely there. Um so I think there’s a baseline. It’s just going to be about putting together a healthy stretch for Devin here. Obviously missed a lot of the start of his rookie season in some of these games. I I think it was well obviously game one he struggled with things. He talked about it. Um game two he has 30 when he’s feeling good. game three and we’re sitting there right by the bench. At one point he comes over and you can hear you can see him saying to a trainer, “It hurts bad.” Um, so not not the most ideal situation for Devin and I think he still needs to work through those things, but if he can put together a healthy stretch, I think people forget he he would have been even higher. He would have been a top 10 draft pick. So the talent is definitely there, just needs some healthy stretches to be able to piece things together. So he’s one of the guys that was returning. We wanted to see the development. He’s done. He’s had his moments certainly in the summer league. Had a big 30-point game. Isaac Jones also uh is back. He will be with the team and you know more I watch him too like he he does the things that we’ve all known and expected that effort, that energy, the hustle, the rim running, the putbacks, trying the corner three a little bit more, but we’ve seen his game grow a little bit here. Are there minutes out there you think on this squad for for Isaac Jones? I personally don’t really think so going into next season. Maybe there’s a backup for opening. Like I I don’t think that Dario Sarich is somebody that you want to rely on for minutes. So maybe that’s the direction that you go in or I I think you probably just go smaller rather than going in Isaac’s direction. But I think he he does give you some optionality. The idea is that uh coach Mystery out here, coach on the summer league team, who was also his developmental coach last season, told him, “Hey, if you want to get more run, you essentially need to play the four.” And that’s why they’re working on that corner three. I still think the optionality of playing the five is obviously going to exist. You saw him um I want to say it was their last game. He absolutely destroyed people around the rim going through people. Um so that is still definitely there and I think you’re seeing the development, but to me in my mind it’s going to be one of those, you know, maybe Drew Eubanks isn’t cutting it one night so we’re going to go in Isaac’s direction and if he if he performs in those moments then maybe he could stick with a rotational spot. But I think he still does kind of have to prove it. All right, now let’s go to the rookies. That’s to me a lot of what summer league is about. How do they look? Do they belong? Uh, can you see them on the floor with the big club and what I saw in person, I’m pretty sure what you’ve seen in person, if we start with Nick Clifford, I’d say yes, yes, and yes. I mean, I’ve been very impressed. We’ve we heard the Swiss Army knife, the versatility talk about him. I mean, Brendan, every spot he’s been in, I I would say with the exception of the first half of the first game, I thought he was just a little bit passive. I don’t think we’ve seen that since. He’s got the nice combination of letting the game come to him, but also attacking, makes a lot of smart plays, is in the right place. I’ve been thoroughly impressed with him. Um, I’d love your opinion on what you’ve seen from Nick so far. You’re definitely not alone. Everybody I talked to out here is super impressed with Nick Clifford. Um, Maxim Marino as well that I’m sure that we’ll get to. But Nick, you see that composure. You know, obviously this is a guy that they traded up for. He checks every box that Scott Perry is looking for. Um, in that first half of that first game, like you mentioned, he wasn’t quite as aggressive, but he says that he’s just trying to play the game the right way. And personally, I I think that’s a good mindset for a rookie to have. Uh, maybe it doesn’t lead to the greatest summer league half, but I think that’s going to translate well at the NBA level. And I I think he’s a guy that’s going to look even better as the fifth starter on the floor. or maybe he doesn’t start, but as the fifth player on a on the floor, you know, um a complimentary piece doing a little bit of everything. I think maybe the most impressive thing to me, obviously there’s like the ISO creation itself and how he’s able to do that. That’s I think has looked really good, a touch in the mid-range, finishing around the rim, but I think he’s recognized moments more than anything. That second half of the first game, he comes up big in what was a close performance. Um, yesterday’s game was the close or not yesterday, whatever the all these days get mixed up in in Vegas, Jason. Uh, whenever their last game was, game four, there were a couple moments it felt like where, hey, maybe they’re actually going to lose this one, go down six to eight points, and it felt like every time momentum is going in the other team’s direction, neat Clifford took batters into his own hands, got a bucket, or he was setting up for other people. There was great passing in there. I know that Scott Perry mentioned that uh that was maybe what he’s been most impressed with Nick up to this point. And like I mentioned, I think he has good size. Not once have I looked at him and thought, I don’t think this guy can play the three. I think you do have optionality there. Smaller lineups, maybe you’re talking a four. Uh but if Scott Perry doesn’t have this uh this um positionless basketball, then maybe we don’t maybe I’m getting a little too ahead of myself there. But I I think that Nick is a guy that at very least is going to get some good opportunity in year one. And I I personally am probably willing to bet on him making a positive impact. Yeah, I’m with you. I mean, again, it’s four games, but every and every time it’s been impressive and maybe to your point, even more impressive. And I I agree on what you said in the fourth game because Cleveland came back, Proctor’s cooking, it’s like, man, they actually might lose, but he identified that, got big plays, made the results, and helped the team win. and in a guy that the versatility part which is going to help him. I don’t know where the majority of his minutes will come but like honestly Brendan I think he can back up the one. I think he could play two. He could play three maybe like you said in certain situations four. I think he can guard multiple positions. So I don’t see how he’s not on the floor. I just don’t know where and when. But I I just see there’s got to be minutes for this guy. I would say so. Um I don’t think that the Kings have the greatest depth on their current roster. That’s something that Scott Perry mentioned. uh yesterday when they were building out that Pistons team that depth was maybe one of the most important things to them. And obviously times have changed in the NBA, but I think that you’ve continued to see that be really important. A 8 nman rotation that you can rely on consistently is important in the modern NBA and uh the Kings are cutting it a little close I think to that 89 line. So ideally, it almost feels like you are betting on Nick Clifford becoming one of those guys. And and maybe this is how you strike the balance of, you know, I see some Kings fans being like, I I just want Devin Carter, Keon Ellis, Nick Clifford, Keegan Murray, and and Maxim Reno to start next year. Um I don’t think we’re going to go that extreme, but maybe you’re just willing to work through some of the growing pains with Nick throughout this season as well. All right. How about Maxim Reno? also has uh fared very well out there and you can still see there’s more to grow for him. That’s encouraging. Um leadership, all the quality Scott’s looking for seems to be there. Booming voice we hear throughout the gym. What What have you liked and seen uh from Maxine so far? Everything to be honest. I I think that Max, everybody knew Nick was really good. I think that Max seems to have been the surprising one that even more people are kind of talking about. Uh Nick’s name definitely continues to float around, but a lot of people I’ve talked to were like, “Who’s who’s this kid by the way?” Um and he’s looked really really good. I think he’s he’s better than the 42nd pick he was selected at seemed like he wanted to go to Sacramento. Jason, you had a great sit down with him. Um that picked apart his brain a little bit with all that. But I think when you got a 7-1 guy that can put the ball on the deck, can shoot at that rate. Um, I just c talked to his college coach who actually coached Isaac Jones as well, came over from Washington State, uh, last season at Stanford and he was like, I was telling NBA players like, bet on this guy, you know, he said he thinks he’s more Lorie Markin than Luke Cornett and maybe it’s like a bigger Kelly Oolen, you know. Um, but there’s a lot there and and maybe he can play the four. I I think offensively he definitely can play the four. It’s going to be about what he can do defensively. And being a guy that was the leading scorer for Stanford last year, he really wasn’t even supposed to commit that much to the defensive end because he couldn’t get in foul trouble. He was too important. Now you’re a backup big in the NBA. Um defense is going to be one of the most important things. Super smart guy. He told you he loves calling out defensive coverages just to agitate the other team. Uh computer science major, math minor, like education was important to him. skydiver apparently, Jason. Um, so I I think he checks all the rocks that Scott wants from the intangibles and you can’t help but be interested in a 7-1 guy with all those all those tools offensively. Yeah, I know the other day he was miked and wired for sound and he said this in post games. I think other people have said it. I I’ I’ve appreciated, Brendan, the the drive of the team that they’re clearly on a goal and a mission to win the summer league championship. Like I’ve said on the show multiple times, in the end, is it that big of a deal to win the summer league? probably not. But to this group, it is. And this is a group that it’s not promised for a lot of the guys whether they’re going to be on an NBA roster. Some of these guys will be and some of these guys will be kings. But I appreciate that, Coach Dip, that every player basically, Brendon, out there has told you and others that we’re trying to win the championship and they’re two games away from doing it. They’ve done their part and I think it’s cool that they got this goal. They’ve been very open at it and uh they’re going for it. Absolutely. Scott Perry wants it to mean something to be a member of the Sacramento Kings and for it to for you to know what style of play you’re going to be dealing with anytime you play the Kings. And uh he even, you know, told us a little bit, you can tell by how I started that interview yesterday. I kind of laugh at myself now. I’m like, “Hey, it’s got to feel pretty good to be 4-0 in summer league.” He just laughs a little. I don’t think honestly they care that much about summer league results. More so, it is about the process. It’s it’s the playing hard um as the glare decides to get horrible on my on my uh my camera here. But um I I think the big thing is that they’re playing hard. You’re seeing an identity from a summer league team, which is definitely rare for me. I I don’t feel like there’s another year, maybe you can remember one, Jason, where I’m hearing about an identity for a summer league team. Um and they’re very much committing to that and it’s what they want to see at the Sacramento level as well. So, um, yeah, playing hard out there and I think it it helps create an environment that makes it easier to evaluate some of the guys that you’re hoping make it to the main club. Yeah, that’s for sure. Well, you’ve had a busy busy time out there. You’ve done amazing work, you and Chris and then when Frankie was out there and Allen and uh, we had the whole crew, Draper, myself. It It’s been good representation out there. I know it’s been fun for you. Great work. We encourage everybody to check out your interview with Scott Perry and all the other stuff you guys have been putting out there. Uh always look forward to it. Brandon, thanks for joining us and uh get home safely and let’s see if the Kings can can win the last two and take home the summer league title. Appreciate you, Jason. I’m ready to get out of here. City hasn’t been kind to me. All right, we appreciate that. That is Brendan Nunees joining us. Uh really good uh insight too from Brendan. Like I said, check out all the work. It’s all out there for everybody. um to see right there on Sack Town Sports. Yeah, look um I think that was good perspective on that in the sense that you know they’re searching to build this and we all want it today. That’s the problem. And I would you know I would preach patience but I can hear Kings fans going patience? I’ve been waiting for something positive for this team for years. I get that. But now it’s it is a restart and um you know Scott Perry’s going to take his time. Doug Christiey’s going to get his feet wet and some of these guys are going to develop. But I also think they can’t they are going to have to be patient and prudent like Brendan said Scott Perry’s words were but they can’t just imagine like oh we’ll wait the whole year and figure this all out. No, you you got to strike when the iron’s hot when there’s an opportunity that makes sense for you to build your team to make that team better and to get to the goals that you have for the big club. And Scott Perry’s goals, much like Monty’s were, is, you know, kind of playoff stability, championship stability. Everybody wants to win a title. There’s lots of layers. Lots of things have to happen, too. The obvious statement is there’s got to be all the buy in, and you got to have good players. They all have to fit. You got to have talent. But you also need some good fortune. Some brakes need to go

Sactown Sports’ Brenden Nunes joined Jason Ross to break down the play of Sacramento Kings rookies Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

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